• 5 min de lectura
• 5 min de lectura
The intermodal logistics project KBT—an alliance between Klabin, Brado Logística, and TCP—completes five years of operation. Located next to Klabin's Ortigueira Unit in Paraná, the terminal has become an important link in Klabin's logistics strategy, contributing to greater efficiency in the transport of production destined for export.
Created in 2021, KBT is operated by TCP, a company that also manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, and is directly connected to Paranaguá by rail operated by Brado Logística. KBT has consolidated an integrated logistics solution for Klabin. With this model, containers loaded in Ortigueira and Monte Alegre are directed to the terminal and, from there, transported by rail to Paranaguá, increasing operational efficiency.
The evolution of handled volumes demonstrates the growth of the operation. Between August 2025 and July 2026, KBT handled 89,700 TEUs (standard measurement unit equivalent to a 20-foot container) and received 280 train arrivals. Comparing KBT's first full calendar year with 2025, paper and pulp exports grew by 51%, from 347,000 tons in 2022 to 523,300 tons last year.
From its conception, KBT was designed as a tailor-made operation, integrating different stages of Klabin's logistics between the central region and the coast of Paraná. The model is possible thanks to the rail connection between Ortigueira and Paranaguá and a unique feature of TCP in the Southern Region: the railway branch has direct access to the Port Terminal's customs area, connecting rail transport with port operations.
"Five years later, the evolution of volumes demonstrates the efficiency of this model. Rail allows for concentrating large volumes of cargo on a single train, with greater predictability in transit time, safety, and cost competitiveness, in addition to reducing logistics stages and generating significant environmental benefits for a strategic export chain for Paraná," says Fabio Mattos, Commercial Manager at TCP.
"KBT has consolidated an integrated logistics model that connects Klabin's production with port operations more efficiently, strengthening our competitiveness in the international market. This milestone reinforces how innovation and collaboration can generate value for the entire chain," says Cláudio Himmelreich, Operations Manager at Klabin.
Rail Combines Logistics Efficiency and Emission Reduction
The presence of the rail operation within Klabin's industrial plant places Brado at a different level of integration with the client. Proximity to production allows for logistics planning in sync with the factory flow, from product departure to shipment to the port terminal. This characteristic also distinguishes Paraná within Brado's operations, as it is the only state where the company maintains this type of operational configuration.
"This type of operation challenges us to view logistics from a broader perspective. It is not enough to guarantee train availability; it is necessary to work with planning, synchronization, and responsiveness so that the railway accompanies a productive chain that cannot stop. This proximity also allows us to better understand the client's business and develop the solution together with them," says Graciele Santos, Commercial Executive for Brado Logística's animal protein portfolio.
Rail is also one of KBT's main environmental pillars. By concentrating large volumes on a single train, this mode of transport reduces the number of vehicles needed for production transport and, consequently, pressure on roads and emissions associated with cargo transport. "Furthermore, this mode of transport already has this sustainable characteristic itself, as it emits 85% less carbon dioxide compared to road transport using diesel. In 2025 alone, the operation with Klabin avoided the emission of 24.1 tons of CO₂, an amount equivalent to the annual emissions of 5,220 cars," highlights Graciele.
Environmental benefits continue when containers arrive in Paranaguá. To serve the rail operation, TCP's area now has three RTG (Rubber Tyred Gantry) cranes, electrified through the installation of busbars. The change reduced carbon emissions associated with the operation of the three pieces of equipment by approximately 771 tons per year.
A Tailor-Made Operation Gains Capacity for a New Stage
In its fifth year of operation, Paranaguá's rail infrastructure has also increased its capacity. As a result of investments made by TCP and Brado Logística, the expansion increases the operational capacity of the rail corridor and creates the necessary conditions to accompany the future growth of cargo movement.
The recent expansion of the rail infrastructure in Paranaguá increased the operational capacity of the logistics corridor by approximately 20%, preparing the operation to absorb future growth in cargo movement with greater efficiency and fluidity.
"For an integrated operation like KBT, increasing rail capacity means moving larger volumes with fewer stages within the terminal. The new structure increases our efficiency and prepares the corridor to continue serving the growth of rail operations in the coming years," explains Washington Renan Bohnn, Logistics Operations Manager at TCP.
At five years, KBT begins a new stage supported by expanded infrastructure and prepared to meet the growth of Klabin's exports. This evolution reinforces the role of logistics integration for the competitiveness of Paraná's paper and pulp chain.